Why Jewish Summer Camp

Breaking the common myths.

There’s snow on the ground still, but summer is coming, and I just signed up my kids for Jewish Summer Camp. Of all the things we do as a family each year, this is one of the most meaningful: it bolsters our kids’ Jewish identities, strengthens our family’s bonds, and helps all of us to enjoy our Jewish life more.

Not everyone feels the way we do about Jewish camp. So before the camp deadlines are upon us, I thought I’d comment on a few myths I’ve heard about the Jewish Summer camp experience, and share the reality we’ve experienced.

“I want my kids to enjoy summer, not have to learn about religion!”

A lot of children spend long hours each year in Sunday or Hebrew school, or with a bar- or bat-mitzvah tutor. Shouldn’t summer give them a break from all that studying?

The beauty of Jewish summer camps, of course, is that they make Jewish life fun. In fact, for many children Jewish Summer camp is the one time all year when being Jewish is a joy, not a burden.

When you’re with a group of kids and counselors, all singing along to beautiful Jewish songs together, it creates a magical Jewish experience that has nothing to do with studying or tutors. When kids do fun crafts together that have a Jewish theme, they are learning about their religion in a fresh, new – and non-threatening – way.

Summer camp is also a chance for kids to try out fun aspects of Judaism that they might not get to at home. Most Jewish camps have some sort of Shabbat celebration, for example. Even if your own family doesn’t always remember to “do” Shabbat each week, summer camp provides kids with the chance to celebrate Shabbat more fully, along with their friends and counselors, in a fun way.

Sometimes kids even bring home what they’ve learned at camp – like a new Shabbat song – and teach the rest of the family about it. My own kids learn a lot of traditional Jewish stories at their Jewish camp, and I always enjoy hearing them when my kids come home. It’s a chance to bring a fun new side of Judaism into our family each summer.

“Jewish Summer camp is too expensive.”

This is another complaint I hear a lot, and there’s no one answer. Certainly, the costs of Jewish summer camps vary widely. My own kids’ Jewish camp is cheap relative to others in the area, but I know of others that offer a “Cadillac” camp service: very fancy, but very expensive.

Luckily, there are a number of community initiatives that help to cover the cost of Jewish camp, particularly for kids who haven’t attended Jewish camp before. One place to start looking (in the United States) is your local Jewish Federation (www.ujc.org). Independent programs like the PJ Library (www.pjlibrary.org) and One Happy Camper (www.onehappycamper.org) also offer help with camp costs. Also, check with individual camps: many offer early-bird discounts.

Another option, if you can, is to talk with grandparents or great grandparents. Many grandparents would love to help enhance their grandchildren’s Jewish experiences, and some might be willing to help contribute to their grandkids’ Jewish camp costs.

Finally, one option for older kids might be to look into being a junior or a regular camp counselor at a camp for younger kids. At my own kids’ camp, for instance, a group of teenagers helps the younger kids with activities (swimming, going to amusement parks, crafts, putting on plays, etc.). The counselors get to have a fun summer outside, with the obvious benefit of being paid to enjoy the camp experience, rather than paying!

Many of my friends’ kids have passions for extracurricular activities that they love to indulge during the summer. But this doesn’t mean that there’s no room for Jewish camp too.

One option is to combine sessions: spend half the summer at space camp, and the other half at Jewish camp.

Look into Jewish camps, though, and you might be surprised by the range of activities they provide. Theatre, music, swimming, sports: these are all common at Jewish camps, but often more esoteric activities such as gymnastics, rocket-building, computers and ballet are part of Jewish camp schedules too.

Take a look at some nearby Jewish camps. Talk to kids who’ve attended them if you can, or browse the internet. The number of Jewish camps is growing year by year, and there truly is something for everyone.

Finally, take a moment to think of what your kids will gain from Jewish camp, even if going means they can’t indulge their every specific hobby. Kids often outgrow particular interests and activities, but they never outgrow being Jewish. Giving children the gift of Jewish summer camp means giving Jewish memories and knowledge that will never leave them, and will enrich their whole Jewish lives.

“Jewish Summer camp isn’t for us because we’re just not that religious.”

Jewish summer camp gives kids from all sorts of homes – from the most secular to the most religious – the chance to forge their own Jewish identities.

Away from their homes and parents, kids find new Jewish friends and role models. In a Jewish camp, it’s “normal” to be Jewish, and fun too. Small wonder that many kids find that Jewish summer camp is a welcome break: a chance each year to live and grow fully in their Jewish identities.

And the results pay off. Jews who attended Jewish camp as kids are more likely to marry other Jews as adults, more likely to belong to a synagogue, to donate money to Jewish causes, and to identify with Israel.

Featured at Aish.com:

About the Author

Yvette Alt Miller earned her B.A. at Harvard University. She completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Jewish Studies at Oxford University, and has a Ph.D. In International Relations from the London School of Economics. She lives with her family in Chicago, and has lectured internationally on Jewish topics. Her book Angels at the table: a Practical Guide to Celebrating Shabbat takes readers through the rituals of Shabbat and more, explaining the full beautiful spectrum of Jewish traditions with warmth and humor. It has been praised as "life-changing", a modern classic, and used in classes and discussion groups around the world.

The opinions expressed in the comment section are the personal views of the commenters. Comments are moderated, so please keep it civil.

Visitor Comments: 9

(9)
Anonymous,
September 15, 2013 3:27 AM

Cheap travelling camp

I wan to go to a only girls camp religious that travels but the problem is I need a cheap one and I love to travel so if u could find a camp cheap fun and only girls and bais yaacov but open minded

(8)
Anonymous,
July 18, 2013 2:36 AM

I went to a Jewish over-night camp growing up, and it was a totally negative experience, and a waste of money for my parents. There was a ton of bullying at the camp I went to, and the staff did nothing to rectify it. Of course the camp was not Orthodox based, so that might explain the negative experience. I think if I was running a camp, and a camper was bullying another camper, I'd remove him/her from the camp immediately.

(7)
Anonymous,
October 2, 2012 3:43 PM

Seeking summer camp

Anyone know of a sleepover summer camp for 9-10 year old boys that is frum, has serious learning, intense physical activities and ideally that has one/both of the following?
-has healthy food options
-is in Israel (if not, then in US)

(6)
Anonymous,
March 16, 2011 1:39 PM

New Jewish Camp Boca Raton

We have a new Jewish Sports Camp in Boca Raton, Florida which will be a division of Camp Nageela. We have a soccer field, running track, baseball field, football field, swimming pool, indoor gym, jungle gym for a low price of $150 a week.http://campnageelaboca.org/ (This is a day camp)

(5)
thezone,
March 15, 2011 1:24 PM

Amazing article!

Your article sounds like you are promoting our camp! Oorah's The Zone camp has a girls division which runs the whole summer and a boys division running for August. Our price is really low ($1599 per session) and we have a very high staff to camper ratio. With new grounds for the boys and a resort grounds for the girls, you feel as if you're on vacation! We have ATV's, zip-line, animals (!!), baking, horseback riding, musicals, plays and more! Once you join the Zone family, we're with you throughout the year with Torah Mates over the phone, shabbatons, trips and reunions. Call us at 866-THEZONE or www.thezone.org to register. It's more than just a camp - it's the ZONE!

(4)
Anonymous,
March 14, 2011 9:55 PM

Boy Zone and Girl Zone are camps that have Jewish kids from all levels of religious observance and it's the best camp around - with zip lines, horseback riding, go carts, sports fields, Olympic sized pools...you name it. The best part is that is fairly inexpensive compared to most camps. Check it out - www.thezone.org

(3)
Janice Meister,
March 14, 2011 1:22 AM

My daughter went to Camp Harlam for the first time last year and had a great time and when she came home she was telling her Non-Jewish friend about it and her friend wasts to go now. I know it helped her grow and she made new friends that she still keeps in contact with. This is the only time of the year that she is away from me that I know she is safe and that she doesn't feel so different, since we come from a very small Jewish community. Thanks to Camp Harlam and our wonderful Rabbi she will be going back this year and can't wait.

(2)
bj Rosenfeld,
March 13, 2011 9:10 PM

Jewish Summer Camp Can be Wonderful

My oder son wanted to spend the summer with his friends who were working at a Jewish summer camp. In order to be hired, he had to take a class in Jewish studies at his college. As a result of this class, not only did my son enjoy the summer with his friends, he fell in love with Judaism. A few years later, my younger son went to Isreal with the same Jewish summer camp and fell in love with Judaism, too.

(1)
FFried,
March 13, 2011 7:28 PM

Well said!

I work at a Jewish camp which has campers ranging from religious to those who never heard of Passover. And each camper leaves camp more aware of what it means to be a Jew and 1000 times more proud of his/her heritage. Our camp(s) offer all sorts of activies, including sport leagues, art activities, theatrical opportunities, weekly trips etc. Additionally, we have a very high staff to camper ratio. All this for a very reasonable price- especially for first time campers. For more info, check out www.campnageela.org or www.campnageelamidwest.com or www.campnageelawest.org

I want to know about the concept of "sin" due to Adam and Eve eating from the Tree of Knowledge. The Christian concept of sin revolves around the fall of the man and the "original sin." Does Judaism view it the same way?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Adam and Eve were punished according to their actions. In other words, God laid down the conditions for Adam and Eve to live in the garden, provided they would not eat from the Tree of Knowledge. However, if they were to eat from that tree they would be punished by experiencing death. (If they had not eaten from the tree, they would have remained immortal.)

This sets down the basic principle in Judaism of Reward and Punishment. Basic to this is that every person has the choice of doing good or bad. When a person chooses "good" – as defined by God – he is able to draw close to God. In other words, every individual has a chance to "gain salvation" through his own actions.

My understanding of Christianity, however, is that the Original Sin has infected all of mankind to the point where individuals are incapable of achieving salvation through their own initiative. Man is "totally depraved" and therefore his only hope of salvation is through the cross.

This belief is contrary to the teachings of Judaism. From the Torah perspective, an individual does not need to rely on anyone else to atone for them. In Judaism, sins can be "erased" altogether by sincere repentance and a firm resolution never to repeat the mistakes.

For more on this, read "Their Hollow Inheritances" by Michael Drazin – www.drazin.com

Yahrtzeit of Moses in 1273 BCE (Jewish year 2488), on the same day of his birth 120 years earlier. (Consequently, "May you live to 120" has become a common Jewish blessing.) Moses was born in Egypt at a time when Pharaoh had decreed that all Jewish baby boys be drowned in the Nile River. His mother set him afloat in a reed basket, where he was -- most ironically -- discovered by Pharaoh's daughter and brought to Pharaoh's palace to be raised. When Moses matured, his heart turned to aid the Jewish people; he killed an Egyptian who was beating a Jew, and he fled to Midian where he married and had two sons. God spoke to Moses at the Burning Bush, instructing him to return to Egypt and persuade Pharaoh to "let My people go." Moses led the Jews through the ten plagues, the Exodus, and the splitting of the Red Sea. Seven weeks later, the Jews arrived at Mount Sinai and received the Torah, the only time in human history that an entire nation experienced Divine revelation. Over the next 40 years, Moses led the Jews through wanderings in the desert, and supervised construction of the Tabernacle. Moses died before being allowed to enter the promised Land of Israel. He is regarded as the greatest prophet of all time.

Lack of gratitude is at the root of discontent. In order to be consistently serene, we must master the attribute of being grateful to the Creator for all His gifts. As the Torah (Deuteronomy 26:11) states, "Rejoice with all the good the Almighty has given you." This does not negate our wanting more. But it does mean that we have a constant feeling of gratitude since as long as we are alive, we always have a list of things for which to be grateful.

[Just before Moses' death] God said to him, "This is the Land that I promised to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob" (Deuteronomy 34:4).

The Midrash says that Moses pleaded to live long enough to be able to enter the Promised Land. He surrendered his soul only after God instructed him to enter Heaven and inform the Patriarchs that the Israelites had come to their Land and that God had indeed fulfilled His promise to give the Land of Israel to their descendants. To fulfill God's will was dearer to Moses than his craving to enter the Land.

It is only natural to cling to life, and the thought of leaving this world is depressing. However, if a person develops the attitude that he lives only in order to fulfill God's will, then life and death are no longer polar opposites, because he lives to do the will of God, and when that will requires that he leave this world, he will be equally obedient.

The seventh day of Adar is the anniversary of Moses' death. He wanted to enter the Promised Land so that he could fulfill the commandments and thereby have a new opportunity to fulfill the Divine wish. He surrendered his soul willingly when he was told that there was a special commandment for him to perform, one that could only be achieved after leaving this earth.

We refer to Moses as Rabbeinu, our teacher. He not only taught us didactically, but by means of everything he did in his life - and by his death, as well.

Today I shall...

try to dedicate my life to fulfilling the will of God, so that even when that will contradicts my personal desires, I can accept it with serenity.

With stories and insights,
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